Blowpipe apparatus



06L 27, 1931. HASSE 1,829,592

BLOWPIPE APPARATUS Filed June 1, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l M AMI, INVENTOR,

ATTORNEYS;

Patented Oct. 27, I931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE FRANK C. EASSE, OF LAGRANGE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE OXWELD RAILROAD SERVICE COMPANY, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE BLOWPIPE APPARATUSApplication filed June 1, 1929. Serial N0. 367,796.

My invention relates to a power driven portable blowpipe apparatusemploying gas "for cutting or welding metals and particularly to animproved means for feeding and guiding the nozzle and a unitary meansfor controlling the feeding means and the flow of gas to the nozzle, andalso to a means for protecting against breakage the feeding, guiding andgas control means.

This invention is particularly adapted to cutting shapes from metalplates. Power driven blowpipes constructed for this purpose heretoforehave been mounted on a carriage supported on two or more wheels andprovided with a motor for feeding the blowpipe. Due to the plurality ofwheels and the construction and arrangement of the motor and gascontrols, these blowpipes have not been satisfactory for certain classesof work. They are diflicult to operate in small s aces and where it isrequired that the metal accurately cut or welded, without the use oftemplets, along curved or irregular lines.

In cutting or welding metal lates, it is important that the nozzle ofthe lowpi e be accurately guided and that the flame an gas jets issuingtherefrom be directed u on the metal to be operated upon at a suitab eangle, and that the jets be moved along the metal at a predetermineduniform rate of cod. For economy of operation in the case cuttingmetals, it is desirable to turn on the cutting gas only after the metalto be out has been heated to the proper temperature by the flame issuingfrom the blowpipe nozzle and simultaneously with the commencement of thefeeding movement of the nozzle alon the metal, and it is also desirableto turn 0 the cutting gas at the instant the feeding movement of thenozzleis stopped. In the type of work referred to, it is important thatthe blowpipe be small and portable and easily controlled, and that itsnozzle be capable of being guided along irregular lines as well asstraight lines without the use of templets.

Therefore, an important object of this invention is to construct a smallportable motor driven blowpipe pivotall supported at one end by a singlewheel, an manually supported at the other end so that the nozzle can bemoved in any direction and held in a balanced condition in response tothe movement of the manual support. A further object of my invention isto provide an improved means for controlling the nozzle feed and theflow of gas to the nozzle. Another object of my invention is to protectthe fragile parts against breakage.

The above and other objects and novel features of this invention willappear from the following description:

Figs. I and II are, respectively, a side and a front view of theblowpipe.

Figs. III and IV are sectional views on lines III-III and IV-IVrespectively in i II.

blowpipe or torch body 1 having a nozzle 2 coupled to the lower endthereof is slidably supported in two spaced split collar bearings 3, 4attached to a frame 5. The collar bearings have lugs 6 provided withclamp screws 7 extending through one of the lugs and engaging screwthreads in the opposed lug for adjusting the bearings. The torch body ismovable up and down in its bearings by means of a hand wheel 8 securedto a shaft 9. The shaft has a gear 10 fixed to the end thereof, whichmeshes with a rack 11 secured to the torch body by screws 12. The gear10 is secured to the hand wheel shaft 9 in a socket within an enlargedportion 13 on the hand wheel shaft 9. The gear 10 has a reduced portion100 on its outer end which is journaled in the lug 6 of the hearing. Theother end of the gear is journaled in the o posite lug. The reducedportion 10a of t e gear is internally threaded to receive a screw havinga head 14. The head 14 of the screw bears against the collar bearing lug6 in which the reduced portion 10a of the gear 10 is journaled, andholds the enlarged portion 13 on the shaft 9 against the outside face ofthe opposite lug. This construction rotatably secures the gear and theshaft to the lugs 6 and provides a convenient means of assembling theparts.

The blowpipe is supported and guided along the work by means of a handle15 attached to the upper end of the frame 5. The other end of the frameis supported near :from spar l and the flame from the nozzle.

1ournaled on an axle l7-sec'ured to the lower end of the frame. A flatshield 18 is secured by screws 19 to the lower end of the frame betweenthe feeding wheel and the nozzle.

. The shield protects the wheel and a part of its drivin mechanism, nowto be described, is and'heat produced bythe metal A motor 20 for drivingthe feeding wheel 16 is secured to theupper end of the frame with screws21. A detachable worm wheel 22 is secured with screws or bolts 23to the1 hub of the feeding wheel in a coaxial relation thereto. A worm 24 iske ed to the lower end of a transmission sha 25 and is held in mesh withthe worm wheel b an adjusta ble link 26. The link is pivota y connected20 at one end to a lug 27 on a bearing 28 for the 25 be secured to theaxle betwen two clamping nuts 30 on the threaded end thereof at anypoint along the slot 29. This construction provides a means foradjusting the radial distance of the worm 24 from the axis of the 30worm wheel 22 so that one worm wheel may be changed for another ha adifierent diameter in order to change the ceding speed of the blowpipe.

The upper end of the transmission shaft 25 is supported in a bearing 31of a bracket 32 pivoted on a stud 33 secured to a second bracket 34attached to the frame 5. A bevel springs into contact with the contacts51 and gear 35 is keyed to the upper end of the transmission shaft 25and is maintained in mesh Y with a bevel gear 36 journaled on the stud33 by means of the pivoted bracket 32. A worm wheel 37 coaxial with thestud 33 is keyed to the hub of the bevel gear 36 journaled on the stud.The bevel gear 36 and the worm wheel 37 attached thereto is held on thestud 33 by a nut 38 cooperating with the threaded end of the stud. Aworm 39 is keyed to the motor shaft 40 and meshes with the worm wheel 37and drives the feeding wheel 16. through the transmission justdescribed.

The gear ratio between the worm 39 on the motor shaft and the worm wheel37 journaled on the stud 33 may be varied by exchanging this worm wheelfor another of a 65 different diameter, and thus rovide another 60 stud33 is provided with aslot 41 therein through which a' bolt 42 screwedinto the frame passes and clamps the bracket between the head of thebolt and the frame. The bracket may be clamped to the frame at any 6point along this slot and thus vary the radial distance between the stud33 and the m0- tor shaft 40 to accommodate worm wheels of differentdiameters that maybe journaled on the stud.

The motor has a governor 43 to automatically control the speed of theblowpipe feed. The governor is provided with a manually adjustable screw44 for changing its speed setting.

The motor is rovided with a starter switch 45 of any usuaPsnap actingtype. In order to clearl illustrate the invention, a sna switch 0 asimple form is shown in Fig. I The switch is enclosed in a casing 46secured .to an arm-47 of the frame 5. A plunger 48 rojects throughthetop cover of the casing. The end of the plun er within the casing fitsin a socket 49 provifed with a spring 49a for normally urging theplunger outwardly to the o n circuit position as shown in Fig. IV.

he circuit to the motor is made b a metallic bar 50 which is adapted tobridget e space between the contacts 51, 52 to which the electricalconductors 53 and 54 leading 10 the motor are attached. The bar ismounted on an insulatin plate 55 mounted on the plunger 48. The Ear andthe plate have a longltudin a1 lost motion connection with the plungeras provided by slots 56 in the plate. Pins or screws 57 are fixed to theplunger and engage the slots. A compression spring 58 extends from asocket in each side of the plate 55 to a socket 580. on each side of theswitch casing. In this structure when the pins 57 on the pl r 'carry thespring sockets in the in sulatm plate downwardly past the line of thesoc ets 58a,the bar 50 is snapped by the 52 to complete the motorcircuit, and when the pins 57 on the plunger carry the s ring sock- Iets in the insulating plate upwar y past the line of the sockets 58a,the bar 50 is snapped out of contact with the contacts 51 and 52to'break the motor circuit.

- I The blowpipe herein shown is adapted particularly for cutti metals.It is supplied with a fuel gas suc as acetylene throu h a conduit 60 andit is supplied with a com ustion supporting andcutt' gas such as oxygenthrough another conduit 61 both of which are connected to the head ofthe torch body 1. The conduits 60 and 61 are respectively connected topassages 62 and 63 in the torch body as shown in Fig. III. The fuel gaspassage 62 extends lengthwise ofthe torch body 1 and enters a mixingchamber of the usual form in the lower end of the torch body near the.nozzle 2. A valve operated by a valve knob 64 controls the flow of fuelgas in this passage to the nozzle. The oxy en conductin 68 at the valveseat 65. One of the branch p 66 extends through the body of the torch tothe mixing chamber where it is mingled with the fuel gas prior to beingdelivered ge is divided into two ranches 66,'

to the torch nozzle. The flow of oxygen in this passage iscontrolled'by' avalve cooperating with the valve seat 65 and operated bya valve knob 67 located within convenient reach of the operator on theupper end of the torch body near the guiding handle 15.

The other branch oxygen passage 68 supplies oxygen to the cuttm gas jetin the nozzle 2. A valve 69 is place in this passage for controlling theflow of oxygen to the jet. The valve is normally maintained in a closedposition by a spring 70 compressed between a fixed bushing 71 and ashoulder 72 on the valve stem 76. The valve may be moved awa from itsseat by means of a bell crank lever 3 pivoted on a pin 74 on an arm 75fixed to the torch body. One end of the lever is pivotally connected tothe valve stem 76 and the other end of the lever projects throu h thevalve body and has an exposed button 7 which may be ressed to operatethe valve 69.

d lever 80 is provided for simultaneously controlling the movement ofthe cutting oxygen valve 69 and the motor switch 45. The lever ispivoted intermediate its end on the clamp screw 7 on the upper end ofthe frame 5. One end of the lever has anoperating handle 81 located inconvenient reach of the operators hand when it is on the guiding handle15. The other end of the lever is adapted to rest upon the cuttingoxygen valve button 77, and it also has a lateral projection 82 which isadapted to rest upon the switch plunger 48.

A guard rail 83 surrounds the frame and is rigidly connected thereto bymeans of arms 84. The guard rail surrounds the motor and extendslaterally from the frame beyond all of the blowpipe controls so as toprotect them against breakage that may result from impact of theblowpipe with other objects. The guard rail also provides a rest for theblowpipe when it is not in use.

In operating the blowpipe it is lighted and the gas mixture for theflame is adjusted in the usual manner. The operator may then grasp theguiding and supporting handle 15,

the feeding wheel 16 so that the wheel will be in an upright position onthe metal to be cut. The handle is elevated until the flame issuing fromthe nozzle strikes the work at the desired angle. The nozzle .elevatinghand wheel 8 is then turned until the end of the nozzle 2 is adjusted tothe desired distance from the work. The flame is played upon the line onthe work to be out until the metal is heated up to the temperature thatis required to cause a jet of oxygen to combine with the heated metaland thereby cut it. When the desired temperature is reached the operatorpulls the lever handle 81 towards the guiding and supporting handle 15with his thumb or fingers of one or both hands which may be grasping thelatter handle. The movement of the lever handle oscillates the lever 80about the clamp bolt 7 and the lower end of the lever is forced againstthe valve button 77 and the switch plunger 48 tosimultaneously turn onthe cutting gas and to start the motor. The torch nozzle 2 is driven atthe proper uniform speed over the metal to be cut by the motor drivingmechanism as the flame heats the metal and the oxygen jet cuts it. Thenozzle may be firmly and accurately guided along the line to be cut bythe operators hand on the guiding and supporting handle 15, without theaid of a templet.

Due to the portability, and ease of control of this apparatus, it has awide range of uses for cutting shapes of irregular, or regular outline,and it is especially adapted to cut or weld large pieces of work Wherespeed and accuracy is required, and where this work is performed in thefield.

Bevel edges may be cut with my apparatus by holding the axis of thefeeding wheel inclined to the plate or the axis of the feeding wheel maybe held parallel to the plate and a nozzle having gas passages inclinedto the axis of the torch may be used to replace the usual nozzle havinggas passages parallel to the axis of the torch body.

While the apparatus illustrated in the drawings comprises a blowpipeadapted for cutting metals, I do not wish to be limited to a cuttingapparatus alone. as my invention may be readily used for welding bysubstituting a welding torch body and nozzle for the cutting torch bodyand nozzle illustrated, and other changes and modifications may be madewithin the scope of my invention.

I claims 1. In a portable blowpipe apparatus, the combination of aframe; a means for supporting said apparatus upon the work at one pointonly comprising a wheel journalled on one end of the frame whereby theapparatus may travel along the surface of the the adjustability work; ahandle at the other end of the frame and balance the lower end of theblowpipe on f or guiding and carrying the apparatus; and a blowpipemounted on and extending lengthwise of said frame.

2. In a portable blowpipe apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidblowpipe and said wheel are mounted on opposite sides of said frame, incombination with means for adjusting said blowpipe lengthwise of saidframe.

3. In a portable power-driven blowpipe apparatus, the combination of aframe, a blowpipe mounted on and extending lengthwise of said frame;means for supplying gas to said blowpipe; valve means for controllingsuch gas supplying means; a wheel journalled on the lower end of saidframe whereby the apparatus may be propelled along the surface of thework; an electric motor mounted on said frame and connected to saidwheel I to drive the same; a switch for controlling the .circuit of saidmotor; a handle secured to the other end of the frame for guiding andcarrying the apparatus; and meansassociated with said-handle operable toactuate such controllingmeans and said switch.

4. A portable blowpipe apparatus compris ing a frame, a blowpipe bodysupported by said frame, a nozzle attached to one end of said body,means for supplying gas to said nozzle, means comprising a single wheelfor pivotally supporting said frame atthe nozzle end for pivotalmovement in any direction, and manual means for carrying the oppositeend of the frame and for controlling said pivotal movements.

5. A portable blowpipe apparatus comprising a frame,a blowpipe bodysupported by said frame, a nozzle attached to one end of said bod, meansfor supplying gas to said nozzle, means for pivotally supporting saidframe at the nozzle end for pivotal *movemen, in any direction, powermeans attached to the frame for propelling said apparatus, and manualmeans at the end of said frame opposite to the nozzle for supportingsaid frame and for controlling the movements of the nozzle.

6. A portable blowpipe apparatus as in claim 5, including a guardextending outwardly from said frame for protecting said controlsandpower driving means.

7. A portable blowpipe apparatus comprising a frame, a blowpipe bodyadjustably supported by said frame and having gas passages extendingtherethrough, a nozzle attached to one end of said body, means forlongitudinally adjusting said body relatively to said frame, means forcontrollin the flow claim 7, including a of gas in said gas passages,means or manually carrying the end of the frame opposite the nozzleandfor controlling the direction of movement of the nozzle, means forsupporting1 the other end of the frame and for prope ing said apparatus,power means for driving said propelling means, and means for controllingsaid power means.

8. A portable blowpipe apparatus as in ard rail extending around saidframe an attached. thereto for protecting all of said controls and saidpower drivingmeans.

' 9. In a motor driven manually controlled blowpipe apparatus thecombination 'of a blowpipe, a handle or manually supporting one end ofsaid apparatus, motor driven means for. supporting the-"other end, meansadjacent to said handle and o rable by the operatorshand on said hand efor simultaneously operating the motor starting means and a separatemeans for controlling thesupply (pf its to the blowpipe nozzle.

1 cuttin torch apparatus, a torch body having a nozz e on one endthereof and having sepa motor driven manually controlled arate gasconducting assages therethrough for conducting a supp y of combustiblegas a and asupply of oxygen to the torch nozzle, 9. motor driven meansfor supporting the nozzleend of said apparatus, a handle for manratus,an means adjacent to said handle and operable by the operators hand onsaid hanually supporting the other end of said appa- 7o for starting andstopping said motor, a torch body having a cutting gaspassagetherethrough sup rted by said frame and lon I tudinally a justablethereof, a valve in ependent of said motor starting and stopping meansfor controlling a supply of gas to said passage, and a means forsimultaneously contri-pllling said motor starting means and said v ve.

12. A cutting torch a paratus as in claim 11, said control means or saidmotor starting means and valve comprising a lever pivotedintermediateits ends on said frame; one

end of said lever extendin in proximity to said iding handle and a aptedto be operated y the operators hand on the guiding handle, the other endof said lever extending to said motor startinimeans and said valve.

13. In a portable lowpipe apparatus, a means for sup rting the nozzleend of a blowpipe and or propelling said apparatus comprising a wheeljou'rnalled; on the nozzle end of said a paratus, a gear coaxial withsaid wheel an detachably secured thereto, a second gear in mesh with thefirst gear, a motor for drivin said second gear, a means for adjustingsai second gear radially from the axis of the first gear, comprising apivotal gear driving connection between the motor .and the second gear,a radially adjustable bearing for said second gear an adjustable linkconnected to the bearing or maintaining said second gear in mesh withsaid first gear. 14. In \a portable blowpipe apparatus, a

power feeding mechanism, comprisin a ro-j pelling wheel, a motor fordriving sai w eel, a transmission mechanism betweensaid motor and saidwheel, comprisingla motor shaft, a gear on said shaft,a secon gear inmesh with the first gear and journalled in a bracket radially adjustablefrom the first gear, and a driving connection between said second gearand said propelling wheel.

15. In a blowpipe ap aratus, a motor and a feeding wheel driven y saidmotor, a power transmitting mechanism for transmitting power betweensaidmotor and said wheel,

comprising a gear driven by said motor, a power transmitting shaft, abearing for said shaft at one end thereof and supported pivotally on theaxis of said gear, a second gear fixed to the end of said shaft and inmesh with said first gear, a changeable driving connection between theother end of said shaft and said wheel.

16. A blowpipe apparatus as in claim in 1 which said driving connectioncomprises a gear fixed to said power transmitting shaft, a gear in meshwith said latter gear and coaxial with said wheel and fixed thereto.

In testimony whereof, I aflEix my signature. 15 FRANK G. HASSE.

